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FamilyTreeDNA Reduces Prices

Join the Genealogy RevolutionSearch for your surname in the largest DNA database of its kind!

My Surname

FamilyTreeDNA has reduced their prices on a number of the DNA testing kits. The prices are in line with other testing companies. OGS will receive a donation from FTDNA for each kit ordered through the OGS website as part of a FamilyTreeDNA Surname Project.

The objectives of this Surname Project are to identify others who are related; to prove or disprove theories regarding ancestors; to solve brick walls in your research; to determine a location for further research; and to validate existing research.

Often a Surname Project has multiple objectives, and the objectives may even change over the life of the project. Most Surname Projects start with the objective to identify others who are related, and through out the project the other objectives are achieved simply as a result of the project.

OGS members can team up with other OGS members with the same surname or they can participate on existing Surname Projects which can be found on the FamilyTreeDNA website.

Testing involves the Y-chromosome. The Y-chromosome is passed from father to son unchanged, except for the occasional mutation. Testing the Y-chromosome will provide you with a genetic finger print consisting of 12, 25, 37, or 67 numbers (markers). By comparing this finger print to others with your surname, you can determine if they are related.

The next step for a member is to decide whether you test for 12, 25, 37 or 67 markers. 12 markers are sufficient to determine whether or not two people are genetically related.

The value of the 25, 37 or 67 marker test occurs when two participants are likely to be related based on the 12-marker test. When participants match with the 12-marker test, the test can be upgraded to 25, 37 or 67 markers. The objective of upgrading to additional markers is to further reduce the time frame of the common ancestor between the matching participants. The common ancestor is also referred to as the Most Recent Common Ancestor, or MRCA.

Dot Martin and Eric Johnson are the OGS coordinators for the Surname Project. They are be reached at dna.org